Európai Gazdasági és Szociális Bizottság
Following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020 has proved to be an endurance test for human and social rights, democratic values, the rule of law and economic resilience in the EU. While navigating stormy waters, organised civil society is playing a key role in coping with the countless pandemic-related challenges at European, national, regional and local level.
Following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) played a central role in bringing the consensual views of organised civil society in the EU to the attention of policy-makers and contributing to the rapidly evolving economic policy response at European level.
In this regard, we believe that now is the time for the EU institutions to make decisive steps in approving swiftly the new Facility and putting in place the necessary implementation mechanisms at European and national level, so that the hardest hit Member States, citizens and businesses can benefit from the relevant EU funding when they need it most.
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) organised a public hearing on "The rule of law and its impact on economic growth" on Tuesday, 8 September 2020, from 2:30 p.m.
The event brought together a wide range of civil society organisations to discuss the economic importance of the rule of law and other fundamendal values of the EU, based on the findings and recommendations of an EESC own-initiative opinion.
CANCELLED / Round Table "Just Transition Fund: Transition Challenges from the de-lignitisation in Western Macedonia" organised on 30-31 March 2020 in the Region of Western Macedonia (Ptolemaida) in Greece.
Following the growing increase of the Covid-19 epidemic, the Committee has taken the exceptional decision to CANCEL all meetings and activities in Brussels and beyond, until 27 March 2020.
Therefore, this conference is CANCELLED.
The Committee regrets the inconveniences this decision may cause and thanks you for your understanding.
The EESC ECO Section is organizing a public hearing on "The collaborative economy - data exchange with tax authorities" to be held in Tallinn on 13 February 2020. This event contributes to the preparatory work for the opinion ECO-500.
The EESC is of the view that in the fast-paced development of the collaborative economy requires an update how tax related information exchange is organised. Furthermore, the need for transparency and reporting to authorities both from the businesses providing the platforms and from the consumers using them has been raised by governments. In particular, tax authorities are demanding that they gain access to information for taxation purposes.
During it's meeting on 29 November 2019, the Section for Economic and Monetary Union and Economic and Social Cohesion (ECO) of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) is organising a public debate "The Benefits of Gender Equality for the European Economy" with the aim to explore how policies aimed at achieving greater gender equality could help reinforce Europe's economic performance and what role the European civil society could play in supporting the development and implementation of these policies.
Pubic hearing on "Civil society contribution to the next European Semester cycle", organised in support of the additional opinion ECO-498 during the 7th meeting of the European Semester Group
The Civil Society Days 2019 will take place at a crucial moment for Europe, namely after the Sibiu Summit and the European elections and ahead of the constitution of the new European Parliament and European Commission.
Current pressures on our democratic systems are threatening fundamental values (respect for human rights, individual liberty, equality, the rule of law) and the civil society space within the European Union. The alarming consequence is an erosion of democracy and restricted civic space in several parts of the EU.
Against this backdrop and in consideration of the transformation processes the EU is facing, namely on economic, energy and ecological, social, and democratic and participatory level, this year's Civil Society Days will focus on two main pillars, Democracy and Sustainability, and will explore their links and interactions.
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) is organising a public hearing The European Semester and Cohesion policy – Towards a new European strategy post-2020 to be held on Tuesday, 11 June 2019, starting at 10.30 a.m, that will bring together policymakers, academics and organised civil society representatives, with a view to developing policy proposals which will help shape these stronger ties and improve sustainable growth. The results from the hearing will feed into both the ongoing EESC opinion on the same topic and future decisions by EU leaders in this field.
